God help me. I’ve found a new author. L.E. Rico has made me laugh. She’s made me cry. She’s made my heart swell. I will never understand how I missed reading her before now.

In Blame it on the Bet, the four O’Halloran sisters are still reeling from the sudden death of their father. They are shocked to discover their parent’s life’s work, O’Halloran’s Pub, is schedule to be foreclosed on within a matter of months. They are also shocked to discover that their father was contemplating selling the pub to an L.A. based real estate developer. The four sisters realize how much the pub means to each of them and come together to save it.

Bryan Truitt is a driven real estate developer. He’s taken some knocks along the way, but he always gets what he wants. And what he wants is the land O’Halloran’s sits on. Tired of the radio silence from Jack O’Halloran, he decides it's time to pay the man a visit in Mayhem, Minnesota.

Mayhem isn’t anything like Bryan expected. For starters, it’s freaking cold and his Armani trench coat and handmade Italian loafers just don’t cut it. Then there's Hennessy O’Halloran. It turns out Hennessy isn’t a he, but a she, and the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Hennessy turns out not to be gullible and naive as Bryan expects her to be, but is in fact a worthy opponent in his quest to get the pub. The two find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other. In a way to spend more time with Hennessy, Bryan comes up with a bet where the winner ends up with the pub.

With a matchmaking priest named Father Romance, a pie making psychic, a terror of a toddler and friendly people, Bryan discovers the O’Halloran pub isn’t the only thing he wants in Mayhem. But just as Bryan and Hennessy’s relationship seems to be doing well and the possibility of saving the pub is in sight, a secret from the past is revealed that could destroy everything.

Lauren (L.E.) has written wonderful characters who are fun, witty, and provide humor throughout the book. Bryan is the king of putting his foot in his mouth. But that’s what makes him so likeable and loveable. Plus, he truly has a heart of gold. The O’Halloran sisters consisting of Hennessy, Jameson, Walker, and Bailey have each other’s backs throughout everything. I loved watching them truly come together. Looking at the cover, I thought this was a Christmas story, but it isn't. Regardless, Blame it on the Bet is a story of love, friendship, and family. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I’m sure in Whiskey Sisters fashion, I will continue to laugh and cry.

Welcome to Mayhem, Minnesota, where the people are a little bit quirky and the town supports their own.

Hennessy O'Halloran and her three sisters are the Whiskey Sisters. Their dad had named each of them after alcohol. He had owned O'Halloran's Pub in Mayhem. Upon his death, the sisters learned of a debt their father had on the pub and they only had six weeks to try and come up with the $100,000 to pay back the loan to avoid foreclosure. They were determined to keep the pub in the family.

Bryan Truitt came to Mayhem determined to get a signature on the sale of O'Halloran's Pub for his client so they can tear down the building and build a megaplex cinema. It was going to be a quick trip for him. He would be in an out until he met her . . . Hennessy O'Halloran. She took his breath away and he just wanted to stay within her orbit. He moved his business operations to Mayhem to wait the six weeks to collect on his deal with Hennessy.

I really enjoyed this story. I wouldn't call it a clean book, although there were no descriptive sex scenes. There was a smattering of foul language but it was an enjoyable story to read.

I was gifted the book in exchange for an honest review.

Blame it on the Bet is the first book in the Whiskey Sisters series by L.E. Rico. Hennessy and her sisters are very close. The bar has been a big part of their lives, and now that both of their parents are gone, they're ready to do what they can to keep it. Bryan has other plans. Right off the bat, Hennessy and Bryan butt heads. Their arguing and bantering is half the fun. Plus, I love how her sisters treat him. They seem like a fun bunch to be around. This is one of those cases where I wish these fictional people were real. Are there really places like Mayhem, Minnesota with people like this, because I want to go there! This was such a fun & sweet story. I loved the characters. I loved the town. And, I think we all need a Father Romance in our lives.

Hennessey O’Halloran and her sisters are trying to save their pub following their father’s death. Bryan Truitt is a developer who want’s the land their pub sits on for land development. They make a bet that will either save the pub for the O’Halloran’s or give Bryan what he wants.
This was a cute story that was an easy quick read. The characters were likable and the story kept you entertained. I highly recommend.

cute story and well written. look forward to more from this author

> “You’ll get hurt again at some point in your life. We all do. That’s the price of living. But what’s the point of living if you don’t at least try?”

Fellow readers, I have been on a heartwarming journey about home, family, and finding out who you are alongside someone who loves that very person. It was full of fuzzies.

I can understand why this is an Entangled Bliss story as opposed to one of the other Entangled imprints. The focus of the romance was very warm but not hot, if you know what I mean. The steamier stuff was hinted at, but while Hennessy and Bryan did find each other very attractive, it was their respective personalities and vulnerabilities that drew them to each other. I also loved how there wasn’t any messing about, not really. Hennessy was especially direct, and it was unexpected and awesome.

It was the quirkiness that really sold this book for me. I loved the cats with their funny names and personalities and sweaters. I loved the mystical pie. I loved Father Romance and Helen. These things, and more, added up to give the story an extra dash of charm. Even the names of the sisters, though initially a bit odd, really grew on me, and now I actually think I could call my daughter Jameson.

It takes a special book to feature so much religion and still get such a high rating from me. While I have nothing against other people being religious, I often find books in which the characters are religious, quoting verses and whatnot, are quite preachy, and that usually detracts from the experience for me. However, Blame It on the Bet managed to quote verses, feature Mass, and involve saying grace without me feeling judged by the author, and I say kudos to that.

This was just a genuinely nice story with not too much drama, plenty of family love, and a good dose of character examination. I am wonderfully satisfied.

This is the first book in this series by this author. This story will suck you in from the first page and keep you hooked till the very last page. This book can be read as a stand alone read. Amazing characters you will fall in love with as you read. This author has a fab writing style which is very smooth, which makes reading this story very effortless. I can't wait to read more from this author n the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

Hennessy O'Halloran has come home to Mayhem, Minnesota, in hopes of saving her family's pub after the death of her father. Yet, it isn't going to be easy, especially when she and her three sisters need to raise a lot of money, if they're going to keep the pub in the family, so it isn't torn down and turned into a multiplex theatre by Bryan Truitt, a real-estate developer from L.A. However, there's something about Bryan that has Hennessy wanting to get to know him better than continue to consider him the enemy. But when Hennessy learns something about his past, will she hear him out when it comes to the truth or will she make the biggest mistake she's ever made in her life and lose her chance at happy ever after?

This is one of the best enemy to lovers trope encompassing romances I've read in a while, and it's a story that was absolutely memorable due to the fantastic main characters that underestimate each other; secondary characters that made me laugh or smile, especially Hennessy's nephew with his new favorite word for Bryan; and dialogue that was a wonderful combination of intense, emotional and witty moments that kept me entertained from start to finish. The way this story started had me hooked and I was totally charmed by the O'Halloran sisters, as they will do anything to keep their family's legacy going. However, it was from the moment Hennessy and Bryan meet that this story gets very interesting, as Bryan's charm doesn't work on the heroine and instead he underestimates her.

Both the main characters were beguiling, not only because they had very interesting back stories, but because I loved every moment they conversed. Since at the beginning, Bryan starts off as enemy number one, not just for the heroine but her sisters as well. However, I enjoyed how Bryan won Hennessy and the rest of the townspeople over. He's confident, charming and determined to get what he wanted, even if he did have to offer the heroine a bet that was too hard for her to resist. I also loved the Truittisms and the friendship the hero shared with his assistant, as she's helped him a lot to deal with his past and I liked how she pushed him to fight for his future by facing his past and doing everything he can to win Hennessy's heart.

While the heroine, she's resilient, brave and I liked her determination to succeed in keeping her family's pub open. Then again, with her track record as a lawyer, she definitely has what it takes to win, and the way she stands up to Bryan at the start shows she certainly has the skills to go head-to-head with him. I also enjoyed how confident the heroine was and that she was willing to accept advice when it was palpable she desperately needed it, especially when things go awry between her and Bryan. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine is the way she is with her sisters and that she would do anything for them.

Overall, Ms. Rico has delivered a remarkable and sweet romance in this book where the chemistry between the hero and heroine was off the charts; the secondary characters were just as entertaining as Bryan and Hennessy, especially the heroine's nephew who stole my heart; and the ending took me totally by surprise with what happened with the family pub and by the way things went awry between this couple. Why did Hennessy have to react so badly when she'd only heard a secondhand version of what happened to the hero in the past? However, in saying that, I liked how Bryan made things right with Hennessy, because she's the one for him and there's no way he's going to let her get away. I would recommend Blame it on the Bet by L.E Rico, if you enjoy sweet romances; the mistaken identity trope; the enemy to lovers trope; or books by authors Sean D. Young, Victoria James, Sonya Weiss and Rachel Harris.

My actual rating for the book is 3.5/5 .

Hennessy Very Special O'Halloran, is a reputed Public Defender at Minnesota. The story begins after her Dad's death. Her parents are a interesting lot who name their 4 daughters after the Whiskey brand names.The pub ran by their parents faces a threat of foreclosure due to defaulted loan payment. Bryan Truitt, a Real estate developer, shows interest in buying the property at 25% above the market rate. He wants to raze down the property and build a multiplex in its place. This doesn't go well with the Whiskey sisters.
When Bryan comes to Mayhem for finalizing the Pub property deal. He madly falls in love with Hennessy and places a Bet , to stick around for some more time. What the bet is and how it changes the lives concerned forms the rest of the story.
The book is an easy and a pleasant read and I have loved the characters. The book gives us a refreshing feel. The characters are interesting with their own peculiarities. I liked the 'The Little Slice of Heaven Pie Shop', which adds little mystic nature to the book. I loved the helpful and considerate nature and the cupid role played by 'Father Romance'. I liked the way the story progressed and narration style of conveying story in the Point of view of Hennessy and Bryan. The little sparks in their relationship are quite a fun to read. Overall I enjoyed this book but I felt something more is needed for this book to fall in my 4 star category. I wish L.E.
Rico all the best for her future writings.

The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, Author and publisher for sending me this book.

Dealing with her father’s death was hard enough, now Hennessy is being called back home to deal with paperwork, debts, puzzles and the real threat of a developer’s eye on their family’s pub. So not gonna happen, not if she had anything to say about it. Truth is their father had a lot of debts, loans on the bar and they were coming due fast. He might be sin in a bottle, but Bryan was not getting what her family had worked so hard for with the swipe of a pen on a check. The bet seemed easy enough to win, this city boy would never survive the winter out here in the real world… but maybe she should keep her guard up more firmly. It wasn’t in her plan to fall for the man who was trying to take so much from her family. But, plans change.

I had such fun with Blame It On The Bet. First off – small towns, I absolutely adore the quirkiness, the close knit community and that special feel that is impossible to explain but real in the feel of small town living. Populate that small town with odd characters, quirky cats and watching out for neighbors and friends, then you have me hooked. Hennessy and her sisters are such a mix match of personalities and that makes their family feel all the more realistic. Just having met the siblings I’m captured enough by them that I cannot wait to follow their stories as well.

Bryan and Hennessy are so believable in their roles. It was an adventure watching them move slowly from enemies to possibly more. I believed in their romance, and that feeling plays a huge part in how much I enjoy a book. When I can suspend belief and buy into what the author is telling me, then I’ve entered their world. I fell into Mayhem and I’d love to move in, it’s that type of feel that makes a story feel right for me.

If you love small town romance, then I’d highly recommend Blame It On The Bet and encourage you to follow the series. I know that I will be waiting for the next story to arrive.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I so like to dive into one that promises lots of fun and good lovin such as this one did. What could be more fun when you see cats in sweaters with only being the beginning. You also meet Hennessy and Bryan who will butt heads right away but the fun is why and how it proceeds. Another fun element is the trouble that will come from stubbornness and a bet hence title. There are also other characters such as her sisters that add to the richness of the story. You have such delight see how love will turn two people upside down and around with the ending being our pleasure.

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a thoroughly enjoyable contemporary romance packed with turmoil and humour, making it a great read to escape into. Following the death of their father, the O’Halloran sisters discover that their father had taken out a huge loan to keep the family’s Irish Pub running and to fund their education and treats. The young women, all named after alcoholic beverages, are determined to pay back the loan and keep the pub as a family run establishment.

The story is told from alternative view points of the two main characters - Hennessy V. P. O’Halloran and Bryan Truitt. She is a lawyer working in the city but would much rather be running the pub and near her family again. Bryan is a developer who is used to getting his own way. The initial encounters between the two are hilarious as he expects to be able to bamboozle Hennessy into signing over the property to him without any problems. This is just the start of things as he ends up making a bet that he’s not sure whether he really wants to win or not, she’s got him so twisted up emotionally!

The four sisters are amazing diverse characters, each with their own reasons for attitudes and behaviour. The small town community has additional folk who bring the whole thing to life - especially the priest who provides so many laugh out loud moments, starting with his name. I mean, what else could you expect when he’s called Father Romance? Then there’s a pie maker who seems psychic and a lady who knits sweaters for cats . . . . well, you get the idea! With a main character keeping secrets, you'll just have to read it yourself to discover what happens!

This is a brilliant easy read small town romance and I hope there will be other stories featuring the other sisters in the near future!

I requested and was given a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion after choosing to read it.

the town of mayhem, minnesota is the perfect backdrop to blame it on the bet. hennessey o'halloran has come back into town to lay her father to rest, only to discover that the bar that their father built, the bar that formed the cornerstone of her and her sisters' childhood is in the red and has a buyer. the saving grace is that the contract hasn't been signed, but the sisters only have 60 days to pay off the mounds of debt that the bar owes.

when bryan truitt comes into town to figure out what happened to his handshake deal with pops o'halloran. what he discovers is four angry women intent on keeping their family legacy. when bryan makes a bet with hennessey that he can stick it out in mayhem for the duration of their 60 day grace period from the bank, he doesn't expect to be so charmed by the residents of mayhem.

as hennessey spends more time with bryan she comes to realize that he is not the bad guy in this scenario. the bet is actually a pretty fair deal for the pub, and even though she doesn't agree with what he plans to do with the property she can acknowledge that he really does have good intentions for the town.

i enjoyed spending time with the residents of mayhem, and the romance between hennessey and bryan is sweet and, as they open up about their past and family histories, has some surprising depth. as the start of the series, a fair amount of time is spent introducing us to mayhem and the whiskey sisters, and i do look forward to jameson's, walker's and bailey's stories, but sometimes with these small town romances, i feel like i get cheated out of time with the leads.

I loved this book! The story is so heartfelt and the town is unique and has all the charms of a small town. The Whiskey Sisters and the names of the girls was so clever, loved it! We all need a Helen in our lives, she is a force and just perfect for this book. All of the events that take place at the pub are so clever and incorporates the townspeople into this story, it just adds another layer of fun, quirky characters to the mix. Father Romance and polka mass, hysterical! Once a toddler get a word stuck in their heads lookout they will use it all the time, this one happen to be inappropriate and associated with Bryan. Such great writing and phenomenal characters so fun and complex! I really hope there are more books on this series because there are more stories to be told about these Whiskey Sisters!

I really enjoyed this book. It's full of charm, family, and small town goodness. The Whiskey sisters are all fantastic and I can't wait for the other's stories. Hennessy and Bryan are so cute together and the author did a great job with their story.

After the death of their father the O'Halloran sisters are struggling to keep the family pub open and running. They have enough to deal with without some developer trying to get his hands on their property. Yet that's exactly what Bryan Truitt, Mr. Bigshot LA real estate guy, is trying to do. All his flash and charm might work in LA but in Mayham, MN they do things just a bit differently. With all the barbs and sparks flying between Bryan and Hennessy it isn't long before they have a bet. If Bryan can make it through a long MN winter the pub is his, if he can't he'll give it over to the sisters.

Don't miss the fun as these two battle it out. I highly recommend this one.

For me this book was just okay. I was definitely able to set it aside and it took me awhile to get through it. I just wasn't as invested in the characters or the outcome as I needed to be. It was sweet, but not terribly exciting.

This is my first book by L. E. Rico.

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Jackson
The humor
Standalone
HEA

I hope Jameson, Walker, and Bailey get their own stories.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

Blame It on the Bet (Whiskey Sisters #1)
L.E. Rico
Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Blame It on the Bet wasn't what I expected, and I think that is why it took me a bit of time to get into the book. The story its self is really good and the book sets-up a town, which is loveable. This is a standalone novel. However, is the first in the series about The Whiskey sisters.

Hennessy O’Halloran moved away from home to pursue her career. Unfortunately, her father has just died, and she has returned to her home town to help her family. Her father wanted to give his daughters everything he could, which led to expensive loans. At the heart of the family is the pub the sisters hold dear, and now they have to fight to save it. Hennessy hadn't realised how much she had given up for her career, and now is getting an insight into what living close to her family could mean.

Bryan Truitt life is his career. He literally sleeps at his desk. When one of his projects isn't turning out the way he would have liked he decides to get hands on and find the source of the problem. What he discovers is a town that is more than he expected, and the key to unlocking his cold heart.

There isn't much humour in this book, and I realised after that I kind of expect at least a bit of sass/wit in my romances reads. In this book, humor isn't needed, and I think it wouldn't benefit the story. Bryan is a complex charter who closed off this heart a long time ago. His job needs him to keep his head in the game. Hennessy has just lost her father and needs to find some money fast. These situations aren't really funny.

As for the bet (the title). It wasn't really a big aspect of this story.

I would say if you are looking for a story with depth over comedy this one is for you.

4 stars out of 5.
*ARC received in exchange for a fair review*

ebook £1.57, 287 pages
Expected publication: September 11th 2017 by Entangled Publishing. LLC (Bliss)

Despite the rather odd title, Blame it on the bet turned out to be a funny, yet surprisingly touching read! I hope that this will be a series, as I look forward to reading the other Whiskey sister's stories.

The author has created a wonderful story that just draws the reader in and wraps them into the story to the very end leaving you with a smile on your face and another favourite book for you to read again and again. 5 stars for a new author for me to enjoy more from her books in the future. Would recommend this to everyone